"An unflinching picaresque of finding love and sanity in a place that was anything but The Land of the Morning Calm.” —Kirkus Reviews

“The book will appeal to anyone interested in the beginning of the Korean conflict, has an interest in this period of Asian history, or simply likes a good story. Highly recommended.”—Terry Shoptaugh, Military Writers Society

One June day at the mid-point of the twentieth century, the uneasy peace that had settled over the "Land of the Morning Calm" was shattered by an act of aggression. Not far away, on the "Islands of the Rising Sun," the first tremors of conflict were felt. In reaction to the vague threat, an Army of occupation from a previous war was ordered into action, forever altering the lives of those called upon to respond. This novel is a gripping account of the early stages of the Korean War, candidly presented without pretense or heroic embellishment. Also related in stark detail are the sordid aspects of garrison duty in Japan, graphically expressed with little sentimentality. The story features a distinctive cast of military and civilian characters, whose domain extends from the streets of Yokohama, to the halls of the Dai Ichi Building, to the treacherous landscape of Korea.

Emmett E. Slake served in the United States Army for thirty years and is a veteran of the Korean War and the Vietnam War. He was stationed overseas for eighteen years. Eleven years in the Far East (Japan/Korea/Laos/Vietnam/Okinawa) and seven years in Europe (Germany). He resides in Cary, North Carolina.